The seasonal flu vaccination campaign takes a new step on Monday, November 22. All French people will be able to be vaccinated. Gilles Bonnefond, spokesperson for the Union syndicale des pharmaciens de dispensière et pharmaciste à Montélimar, underlines on franceinfo that with the arrival of the end of year celebrations, “where family reunions are going to take place, it is important to protect yourself against both viruses”, that of influenza and that of Covid-19. The president of the union of general practitioners MG France Jacques Battistoni recalls for his part on franceinfo that there is “no danger” to be vaccinated against the flu and against Covid-19 at the same time. In particular, it asks the elderly and the most vulnerable to be vaccinated against the flu to “avoid going to the hospital for a complication”. “Currently, we have enough doses of vaccines against the Covid and against the flu, adds Gilles Bonnefond. We can therefore manage better, and sometimes even some pharmacists do it without an appointment for both injections. ”
According to the first figures provided to franceinfo by the Order of Pharmacists, the start of the campaign is mixed. For the past month, only the 15 million priority people could be vaccinated (over 65s, pregnant women, patients suffering from serious pathology), upon presentation of their vital card. As of November 19, 5.6 million influenza vaccines have been withdrawn free of charge from pharmacies, including 4.7 million for those over 65 years of age. These figures are a little below reality because they do not take into account the patients who, arrived at the pharmacy, had forgotten their vital card and to whom the vaccine was nevertheless given.
“This year, we saw a rebound” colds and nasopharyngitis, so one might wonder “if the flu is not going to be stronger” she, too, fears Jacques Battistoni.
“You never know the strength of a flu epidemic in advance.”
Jacques Battistoni, president of the union of general practitioners MG Franceto franceinfo
“There is a strong flu epidemic every 10 years or so and then for a few years it calms down afterwards., explains the doctor. Last year, there were indeed few influenza, as there was extremely little nasopharyngitis or colds. This is certainly the effect of the barrier measures. ” Gilles Bonnefond “Recalls that there was a year when there were 17,000 deaths linked to an influenza epidemic, so we have to be careful, it is a virus that can be very dangerous”.
In any case, this is about a million less than last year, because in 2020, 6.7 million influenza vaccines were withdrawn from pharmacies by priority people at the same time. On the other hand, if we compare with a “normal” year (excluding pandemic), 600,000 more people were vaccinated against influenza this year compared to 2019, where at the same time, five million priority people had withdrawn. the vaccine in pharmacies, according to figures from the Order of Pharmacists. “More and more, the pharmacy has become both an information site and a vaccination center in itself. Patients trust us”, notes Gilles Bonnefond.
“It shows that when we make the journey easier, that it’s simpler, it’s easy to go to the pharmacy, we increase vaccination coverage and that’s good news.”
Gilles Bonnefond, spokesperson for the Union syndicale des pharmaciens de dispensièreto franceinfo
In 2021, at the end of November, the flu epidemic has not yet started. From Monday, November 22, all French people can be vaccinated against the flu for ten euros. They will be able to receive the injection by doctors, nurses, midwives, or in pharmacies by the pharmacist and now by the pharmacy technician. “The advantage is that we have pharmacies all over the country and pharmacists have responded to the vaccination., welcomes Gilles Bonnefond. Now even preparers in the pharmacy team, supervised by your pharmacist, can also vaccinate “.